


A dose of warmth

by AmiAttemptsToWrite



Series: I make kati cry with fluff [2]
Category: Banana Fish (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, Cute Okumura Eiji, Falling In Love, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Love, M/M, My bois are gay, Pre-Relationship, Romance, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-12
Updated: 2019-06-12
Packaged: 2020-05-01 23:10:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19187170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmiAttemptsToWrite/pseuds/AmiAttemptsToWrite
Summary: It's winter gift shopping season and Ash gets cold. Thankfully, his boyfriend? Friend? Not exactly? But kinda? is there to warm him up.Cozy fluff, gays in love (but scared to admit it), Christmas gifts and Eiji's hot chocolate. Also a bad summary. Enjoy.(if you're wondering why I wrote winter fluff during summer it's because i'm dumb and don't give an f about the weather)





	A dose of warmth

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sangajskialigator](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sangajskialigator/gifts).



Ash hated winter.

The air hurt every exposed bit of skin on his body, everything was wet, and it took forever to get dressed if you wanted to go outside and not freeze to death.

A shaky breath escaped his mouth and Ash watched it condense into a little cloud as he walked. It swirled and coiled in the freezing weather, and then dissipated. He wished he could dissipate back to their expensive apartment where it was warm and  the aroma of Eiji's gingerbread cookies made the enormous place feel more like a home.

And why was he out when it was so cold he could see frost catching on his hair?

Because Eiji had wanted to do Christmas gift shopping earlier, to avoid the flood of late gift shoppers. Ash couldn't say no to Eiji's puppy eyes or his flushed cheeks when he shyly asked if Ash wanted to come with him. He hadn't realized how cold it was outside, and so unfortunately for him, he hadn't dressed warm enough or in enough layers to make himself nice and toasty.

Instead, he was freezing in the middle of the goddamn street as they looked for a present for Michael. They figured he'd like an action figure of sorts, so they had spent the past two hours walking around numerous toy stores in hope they'd find something nice for him. Ash was chilled to the bone as he carried the bags with the other presents in his bare hands. His knuckles were turning blue because had forgotten to take his gloves with him. Fantastic.

Thankfully, though, Michael's present was the last they had to get. They had bought one for everyone - Max, Jessica, Ibe-san, and even for each other.

The last bit was a known secret.

While they were moping around a shopping center looking for inspiration, Ash had caught a glimpse of Eiji eyeing a brand new digital camera that was 10% off for the holidays. He saw how Eiji marveled at the features written on the box, how his eyes lit up, probably thinking about an entire new collection of photographs he could make with it, how his brain seemed to be buzzing with ideas.

Ash just knew he had to get it for him.

Getting it without Eiji seeing him had proven to be difficult, since they were shopping together, but Ash managed to keep him busy by showing him the comic book section and quietly tiptoeing back to where the cameras were. He picked it up, bought it and asked for wrapping before Eiji could suspect a thing. It was the perfect crime.

Except for the part where Eiji saw a very obvious box with a giant pink bow on it in Ash's hands that definitely _wasn't_  on their gift list.

If Eiji wondered who the gift was for or what Ash had bought, he didn’t voice it. He just smiled sincerely at Ash and let it slide.

Later during their gift hunt, Ash pretended not to see Eiji carefully pick out the biggest, fluffiest sweater he had ever seen in his life and have it wrapped.

It was just one of the things they did silently.

Ash had no idea why, but he found comfort in knowing that.

A pulsing sensation yanked him from his thoughts. He looked down to where a patch of dry skin on his hand had opened and bled a little. He _really_  should have brought gloves with him. He slowed his pace as he fumbled with the giant bags of gift boxes, trying to transfer them into his other hand, so that he could put the one that had dried out so much into his pocket.

Eiji noticed him falling behind and in an instant he was beside Ash, taking the bags from his hand.

"Ash," he said in his accented English. Ash secretly loved how Eiji pronounced his name. It sounded like _'_ Ashu' and Ash found that adorable.  Eiji frowned. "Why didn't you say they were heavy? Here, let me -“ said Eiji as he took Ash's dry hand in his warm one and took the bags from him. He let his touch linger there, frowning when he felt how dried out Ash's skin was.

“Your skin -“

“I'll be _fine_  Eiji, it's nothing,“ Ash said, embarrassed. It was just stupid skin. He had suffered life-threatening injuries not so long ago and yet there Eiji was, being worried that his _skin_ is dry.

“You will be after some hand lotion,“ said Eiji with a smile and stroked the back of Ash's hand before letting it go. Ash tried not to combust at the contact. He felt his face flaring up, and he prayed Eiji wouldn't see it. _Stupid blush and stupid skin._ The way Eiji seemed to care about every miniscule thing that caused Ash discomfort seemed so _genuine_ and Ash _knew_ it was, and it always made him blush. Why is it that a gesture so small had the power to turn his brain into a puddle of mush?

When Ash didn't respond, Eiji elbowed his forearm. “Are you okay? We will be done soon,“ he said reassuringly.

There he was again. Caring, offering a blanket of comfort with words alone.

Ash instantly felt warmer.

He shoved his now bagless hands deep in his pockets. "I'm fine, just f-freaking cold." His voice shook as he spoke. He could tell Eiji didn't believe him.

Eiji furrowed his brows. "You're not fine, you are freezing" he scolded. "Why didn't you tell me that before? We could've gone to a café to warm you up," he said and started unwrapping his scarf off his neck. Ash was about to ask what he was doing but his mouth just gaped open in shock as Eiji gently wrapped the thick woolen scarf around his neck.

Ash felt himself blushing despite his best efforts. He couldn't contain it any more, Eiji was just too...

Nice.

Too caring.

Too precious.

Too loving.

Ash had no idea what he ever did to deserve him.

"There, that should help a little. Now," he said and carefully took Ash by the forearm, "let's go home."

"But Michael -"

"His present can wait. Let's go get you warm," Eiji said and slowly started walking towards the subway. He looked at Ash with those gentle eyes of his and Ash felt his resolve to finish shopping melting away.

He noticed how the colorful Christmas lights that bounced off Eiji's hair and skin were making him look softer, how his cheeks were pinched by the cold air and how he had a dazzling smile on his face as he walked by Ash's side. Ash loved that smile.

He had to admit, as much as he hated winter, it had its charms.

He snuggled into his arm and earned himself a cute moment of Eiji blushing at the gesture.

"Thank you, Eiji," he said honestly.

"No problem."

 

* * *

 

"Feeling better?" Eiji asked, handing Ash a mug of steaming hot chocolate. His hands brushed ever so slightly over Eiji's and the small contact sent familiar goosebumps down his spine.

He took a sip from the mug. "Much better," he said. It smelled and tasted divine, like all Eiji's cooking. He felt warmer already.

Not to mention he was about as comfortable as someone can get.

Eiji had insisted on Ash putting on one of his fluffy sweaters, despite Ash having his own, and despite Ash _knowing_ Eiji had bought a fluffy sweater for him as a gift, and so Ash found himself wearing _Eiji's_  clothes, warming himself up in _Eiji's_ bed with  _Eiji's_ blanket and drinking _Eiji's_  hot chocolate.

The thought made him smile. This feeling, of being cared for, it was still something Ash was getting used to. It felt strange and foreign to him to be as important to someone as he knew he was to Eiji.

He still had no idea what they were to each other. Neither of them had voiced it and they hadn't kissed aside from that one time in prison, which really didn't count for much.

And yet... Ash found himself longing for more. When he hugged Eiji and Eiji hugged back. Or when one of them couldn't sleep and the other talked, keeping them grounded and offering comfort. Or when they were enjoying themselves out on a sunny day. Or moments like these, where one was pampering the other.

To Ash it like they were walking on a thin line, between friends and something else, and  neither he nor Eiji dared to cross it just yet.

"Do you mind if I join you?" Eiji asked, his brown eyes sparkling, cheeks dusted pink. Pink looked good on Eiji, Ash decided. He shuffled a little to the side to make room for him on the bed. Eiji sat behind him and Ash could  feel two warm arms gently wrapping around his middle and a flushed cheek brushing against his own. Ash's eyes instinctively shut themselves, his body going lax in Eiji's arms.

"Mhmm," mumbled Ash in content. He felt his face relaxing and his lips stretching into a lazy smile. He was aware that his cheeks were sporting a blush again, but he couldn't bring himself to care or feel self-conscious about it. He was with Eiji, wearing his sweater, Eiji was keeping him warm and comfortable and Ash savored that precious moment.

They stayed like that for a while, Ash leaning into Eiji's embrace and slowly sipping his hot chocolate without exchanging a word. They shared a comfortable silence, one that made Ash want to disappear and lose himself in Eiji, in his warmth and kindness. Ash opened his eyes lazily to steal a glance at Eiji. He was curious to see if he was enjoying this as much as he was. He turned his head to the side and found two round brown eyes looking back at him.

Ash smiled.

So he wasn't the only one stealing glances.

Eiji slowly raised his hand and let it hover over Ash's cheek, silently asking for permission. Instead of answering, Ash pressed the palm of Eiji's hand against his cheek and let it rest there. Eiji pulled Ash's face in a little closer and planted a small kiss into the corner of his mouth. It was more of a peck than a kiss, really, but it sent warmth coursing throughout Ash's body. He couldn't stop grinning.

When Eiji pulled away, Ash slowly placed his mug of hot chocolate on the nightstand. He needed both hands for what he was about to do.

He turned himself around so he was face to face with Eiji. He brought both his hands up to cupped Eiji's face with them. Eiji's face was tomato red at this point and Ash was sure he wasn't far behind. Somehow he was feeling bolder now that Eiji made the first move.

He gently brought Eiji's face to his and planted a kiss on his forehead, caressing this cheeks with his thumbs. He enjoyed the innocent contact between Eiji's skin and his lips. Ash had never kissed anyone like that.

Ash thought his face would never frown again. He was smiling so hard his cheeks were starting to hurt, and, by the looks of it, so were Eiji's. He rested his forehead against Eiji's and looped his arms around his back, pulling him in for a hug. He felt Eiji's breath tickle his face.

Maybe winter wasn't that bad after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey y'all!
> 
> This fic (plus three more) is something I wrote months ago (it was late March) for my best friend's birthday. Her birthday was yesterday and she said she loved it so MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! 
> 
> Kudos and comments make my soul ascend to heaven so if you don't mind clicking a button and/or typing a keyboard smash, you'll really make my day <3


End file.
